Eli Lilly Wins First Chinese Approval for Weight-Loss Pill

Eli Lilly and Company received approval from Chinese regulators for orforglipron, making it the first pharmaceutical company to secure authorization for a GLP-1 weight-loss pill in China. Previously, Chinese authorities had only approved GLP-1 medications for weight management in injectable form.

Marketed as Foundayo in the United States, the drug will compete with injectable treatments from Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, and Innovent Biologics. The company is currently working toward a commercial launch and plans to supply the medication to authorized healthcare and pharmaceutical institutions.

Novo Nordisk is also seeking approval for an oral version of Wegovy in China. While Eli Lilly secured the first approval, analysts suggest Novo Nordisk may eventually outpace the company in the pill market based on higher weight-loss efficacy observed in other regions.

The regulatory milestone arrives as China faces rising obesity rates. The National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China projects that more than 65% of the population could be overweight or obese by 2030.